Dentistry Among the Poor. Update June 2014
Posted on June 16, 2014
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Volunteers
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The local Ottawa Dental Community continues to value the importance of giving back to impact the lives of others less fortunate. In addition to our latest newcomers (below), we now have 111 dental professionals volunteering, including:
54 Dentists
26 Hygienists
28 Dental Assistants
3 Denturists
Thank You and Carry On!
Dental Assistant:
Ashley Whitelocke
Dentists:
Jeremiah Suralvo
Paul Mikhail
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Governor General visits Homeless Dental Clinic
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As part of the My Giving Moment campaign, Governor General David Johnston and his wife Sharon served food and refreshments to the clients of The Ottawa Mission on 2 June 2014 and had a chance to visit the dental clinic and learn about the various services offered and interact with staff and patients.“Giving has always been an important part of our lives,” said His Excellency. “Sharon and I strongly feel that helping and improving our community is the key to building a smarter and more caring nation. We are delighted to participate in the TELUS Day of Giving at The Ottawa Mission, and we hope our giving moment will inspire others to get involved in their own community and witness for themselves how simple gestures can make a big difference.”
Launched in November 2013, My Giving Moment is a national multimedia campaign that encourages Canadians to give back to their communities, neighbours, charities and causes. Canadians are invited to visit the campaign website at www.mygivingmonent.ca to share their personal “giving moment” or to browse for ideas on how to give. Participants can also challenge others and share their ideas on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, by using the hashtag #givingmoment.
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The Governor General spoke with Dr. Tam Ling who helps the volunteers and clients of The Ottawa Mission Dental Clinic.
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A Time To Celebrate
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Dr. Tom Harle presenting the PODS Oral Health Education Bursary to Shayna Simpson
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The Portable Ottawa Dental Service (PODS) Oral Health Education Bursary ($500) was awared for the first time on 20 June 2014 at the student graduation ceremony held atThe Youville Centre.
Recipient Shayna Simpson will be heading off in the fall to attend Algonquin College in Ottawa for the Pre-Health program and will be pursuing a career in dental hygiene. Congratulations Shayna!
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Mobile Clinic to Hit Montreal Streets
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Starting 30 June 2014, a new mobile clinic run by Doctors of the World will bring medical care onto the streets of Montreal. They will provide health services to the city’s marginalized people by offering medical services out of a van. Doctors of the World is an international humanitarian organization that provides emergency and long-term medical care to vulnerable populations while fighting for equal access to healthcare worldwide. “Our idea is not to replace clinics but at least to be able to take care of more simple things on the spot,” said Sarah Simmons, a nurse with Doctors of the World. The van is equipped with an examination table and a doctor’s workstation. Volunteer doctors and nurses will perform blood tests and basic medical procedures.
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Marco Grant, who lives on the streets of downtown Montreal, said the service is good news because people like him don’t feel welcome in clinics and hospitals. “They don’t feel love. That’s it I imagine. No one cared — they left them in the streets,” Grant said, adding that the homeless often fall through the cracks of the medical system.
New mobile clinic for homeless in downtown Montreal.
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For Those Who Keep Count
Here are your latests clinic statistics:
Ottawa Mission Dental Clinic
(Providing free dental services to the homeless in partnership with The Ottawa Mission 5 days/week since February 2007)
# patient visits: 7,387
$ value of services provided: $1,806,115
# volunteer hours: 18,744
# patient visits: 340
$ value of services provided: $63,910
# volunteer hours: 426
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Give Back a Smile
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Did you know… The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Charitable Foundation’s (AACDCF) primary program, Give Back A Smile (GBAS), provides cosmetic dental care to survivors of domestic violence through a nationwide network of dental professionals. With the support of Discus Dental and Ultradent Products, Inc., the AACDCF has established a program to help raise funds for the Foundation by having volunteers provide whitening treatments to their patients in exchange for donations to this worthy cause. The GBAS Whitening Program Challenge benefits everyone. Not only will patients in your area have whiter and brighter smiles, but whitening treatments performed at a participating dental office will generate increased resources to allow the AACDCF to help more domestic violence survivors. |
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Words of Wisdom
Do all the good you can.
By all the means you can.
In all the ways you can.
In all the places you can.
At all the times you can.
To all the people you can.
As long as ever you can.
John Wesley
I know that there is nothing better for people
than to be happy and to do good while they live.
Ecclesiastes 3:12
Therefore, as we have opportunity,
let us do good to all people.
Galatians 6:10
Command them to do good,
to be rich in good deeds,
and to be generous and willing to share.
1 Timothy 6:18
And do not forget to do good
and to share with others,
for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
Hebrews 13:16
Tom Harle, BSc, DDS, D(Pros), MSc, FICD(C) - Prosthodontic Dental Care
